Kasco Marine, Inc.
800 Deere Rd.
Prescott, WI 54021
PH (715) 262-4488
kascomarine.com
Owners Manual
1
Manual Number
884820
Rev 12-2020
PicoBlender 2500
60 Hz
PicoCell™, PicoBlender™, and SolSwitch™, are trademarks of SunTech Drive LLC
Table of Contents
2
Important Safety pg. 2
PicoBlender At-a-Glance pg. 3
PicoBledner Overview pg. 4
Installation Requirements pg. 5
Mounting Instructions pg. 6
Wiring Instructions pg. 7-8
Operations pg. 9
Troubleshooting pg. 10
Important Safety:
Please read and follow these important instructions to help ensure your safety and the quality performance of your Kasco equipment.
This manual contains important instructions that should be followed during installation, operation, and maintenance of the PicoBlender
controller.
Carefully read and follow all safety instructions in this manual. Make sure that safety labels are always in good condition and replace
any missing or damaged safety labels.
• Caution should be used when dealing with any electrical and/or moving equipment.
• Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE should anyone enter the water with the electrical equipment plugged in and/or in
operation.
Warning
Risk of Electrical Shock
Disconnect Power Before Removing Door Cover
Caution
Risk of Electrical Shock
Before performing any service or maintence inside the controller, or when connecting or disconnecting any wires, DISCONNECT the
power and wait 90 seconds to allow the capacitor bank inside the controller to discharge to a level below 50Vdc.
Do Not:
- Turn on the power to the controller before terminating all wiring connections and closing the cover door.
- Connect power wiring to the controller before mounting the box.
- Service the device if your hands are wet or damp. Always make sure hands are dry before working on the controller.
- Modify inside the controller.
- Remove any parts of the controller unless instructed by this manual.
3
Product-at-a-Glance
The PicoBlender 2500 is a device that blends energy between a solar panel and the power grid. It is used for applications that require
24/7 or some night-time operation, particularly in areas with high power costs. This soluion offers a cost-effective way to supplement
solar power with controllable night-time operation without the need for expensive batteries.
The PicoBlender can operate most alternating current (AC) motors up to 2HP single-phase and 3HP three-phase from solar panel
power or grid power for night-time operation of equipement. The PicoBlender has a unique functionality that enables users to match an
AC load with solar power.
A typical diagram for a PicoBlender-operated Kasco surface aerator is below. The solar panels should be connected to the PicoBlender
controller via the integrated DC Disconnect. The PicoBlender controller should be installed in the shade (potentially mounted under the
solar panels) and away from the direct sun.
The PicoBlender controller consists of several components, as shown below. The unit has ve wire glands: one large gland for a motor
cable (middle), two glands for solar panels (right side), and two glands for data cables (left side). There is direct access to the power
and signal terminals on the DIN rail once the enclosure door is removed. The PicoBlender controller should be mounted on a wall or
other vertical surface using the back bracket (see below). On the back side of the unit there are four set screws used to hang the unit
on the back bracket.
Kasco
Motor
Unit
PicoBlender 2500 PV Solar Array
4
Overview
The Features of the PicoBlender controller are shown below. The unit has ve wire glands: solar PV and AC Source inputs, motor
outputs, and two glands for the external sensors.
Four LEDs are used to indicate the PicoBlender controller’s operation. On the bottom left, next to the external sensors glands, there is
a motor ON/OFF switch that controls the PicoBlender’s operation of the motor.
Once the door of the enclosure is removed, there is access to the input terminal blocks (DIN rail mounts) on the right. Below the DIN
rail is a grounding block for connecting the equipment ground. The installer should use the DIN rail terminals for connecting all external
wires to the PicoBlender unit. The smaller DIN rail on the lower left is used for an optional WiFi communication (comm) board, which
can be purchased upon request.
AC Source
Input with
12A Fuses
Solar PV
Input Terminal
Blocks
Float Switch and
Sensor Input
Terminal Blocks
Motor Output
Terminal Blocks
DIN Rail for
Placing Optional
Comm Board
External
Sensor Input
Motor Load
ON/OFF Switch
Motor Output
Ground Bar
AC Source and
Solar Input
Ground
Electric Lug
AC Source
ON/OFF
Switch
5
Installation Requirements
The PicoBlender must be installed in a shaded location, away from any source of heat and moisture, and in an area free of vegetation.
Measures must also be made to protect the unit from damage by unauthorized persons, large animals, overgrowth, ooding, or other
harm.
Warning
The PicoBlender has voltages capable of causing severe injury or death by electrical shock. It should only be installed and serviced by
Kasco Marine authorized dealers and installers. Integral solid-state short circuit protection does not provide branch circuit protection.
Branch circuit protection must be provided in accordance with the National Electrical Code and any additional local codes.
The PicoBlender should be mounted at least 2 feet above the
ground when possible. A minimum of 10 inches of clearance
above the PicoBlender is required for internal access. There must
be no obstruction of air ow to the PicoBlender.
A typical installation on a solar
panel structure
- Contact your Kasco Marine Dealer for any service or warranty
claims.
- NEC codes take precedence over suggestions in this manual.
The controller should be installed and inspected by
technically qualied personnel, and if the controller is not
installed in compliance with national and local electrical
codes and Kasco Marine recommendations, the controller
can be damaged and fail to operate.
All electrical installations must be carried out in
accordance with local standards and the National Electrical Code.
Conductor rated current, tempuratures, operating
conditions and its power loss must be made in
accordance with local standards and the National Electrical Code.
After being properly installed, the PicoBlender should be wired to
AC and DC sources.
6
Mounting Instructions
Step 1
Secure the back bracket to the support surface by inserting four screws (not included) through the 4 holes in the back bracket.
Step 2
Make sure all 4 set screws are used to hang the PicoBlender onto the back bracket.
Step 3
Once the PicoBlender is in place on the back bracket, screw in the shoulder bolt to secure the unit to the bracket.
Shoulder Bolt
7
Wiring Instructions
Installation Requirements:
- All electrical installations must be carried out in accordance with local standards and the National Electrical Code.
- Conductor rated current, temperatures, operating conditions and its power loss must be made in accordance with local
standards and the National Electrical Code.
-After being properly installed, the PicoBlender should be wired to AC and DC sources.
Single phase 2-wire motors should be connected to Phase A and C.
Startup:
1. Make sure that the ON/OFF toggle siwtch is in the OFF position.
2. While the PicoBlender is still de-energized, congure the DIP switches per the Kasco product that will be connected. (See
DIP switch location settings on the next page)
3. Power up the PicoBlender from solar panels by switching the solar DC disconnect to the ON position. All LEDs will light
up.
4. Once the solar panel source powers up the PicoBlender, turn the bottom external motor ON/OFF toggle switch to the
ON position to start the motor load. The PicoBlender will check its motor connections using built-in open and short circuit
protections. If one of the motor leads is not connected or if there is a short in the motor connections, the PicoBlender will
show a warning message using indication LEDs. Otherwise, it will start the motor load.
Single phase motor loads should be wired as shown below. Single phase 2-wire motors should be connected
to Phase A and C, while 3-wire motors should be wired so that Common Lead is wired to Phase A, Starting
Winding to phase B and Main Winding to phase C. Use DIP Switch 8 for proper single phase motor selection.
IMPORTANT:
Single phase 2-wire
motor pumps:
Connect to A and C motor terminals of PicoBlender
Single phase 3-wire
motor pumps:
Ph_A: YELLOW wire - common motor lead
Ph_B: RED wire - start motor lead
Ph_C: BLACK wire - main motor lead
PicoBlender
DC
Disconnect PV Solar Array
Kasco Motor
Unit AC Source
8
Wiring Instructions
Warning
Do not ground the positive or negative leads of the solar panels. Only ground the mounting frames of the solar
panels.
Never run the PicoBlender controller when the AC pump is not connected. It might cause damage to the controller.
If an installed 3-phase pump does not start pumping water, switch the positions of any two of the three motor wires. It will change the
direction of rotation and it should start pumping water.
PicoBlender DIP Switch Settings
Single phase 2-wire motors should be connected to Phase A and C.
Warning
Do not modify DIP switch settings until power has been turned o and after 90 seconds have passed
for internal voltages to discharge below voltage of 50Vdc. Power must be removed for DIP switch set-
ting to take eect.
9
Operations
Startup:
When starting the PicoBlender for the rst time:
1. Make sure that the ON/OFF toggle switch is in the OFF position.
2. Turn the AC switch (on the right side of the PicoBlender) to the ON position to provide AC power to the PicoBlender.
3. Power up the PicoBlender from solar PV (if available) by switching the solar DC disconnect to the ON position.
4. Once both solar PV and AC source power are provided to the PicoBlender, turn the bottom toggle switch to the ON position to start
the motor load.
If the motor is properly connected, the PicoBlender will move to the startup procedure. The green AC LOAD LED (below) will have a
solid green light, and the motor will start running. The PicoBlender immediately performs MPPT operation over the solar PV input to
offset AC source power.
The PicoBlender has built-in overload protection, so if a connected motor has a power level higher than the PicoBlender can handle,
it rst slows down and tries to run the motor at a lower power level. If the motor power continues to be outside the power range of the
PicoBlender, it will shut off the motor.
If the AC switch on the right side is ON, then the PicoBlender is automatically in Blending Mode, using as much power as is available
from the solar PV panels, while automatically supplementing on an as-needed basis from the AC power source.
If the AC switch is in the OFF position, then the PicoBlender operates in Solar Only mode, and it will not draw any power from the grid,
but will balance the power from solar with motor power by varying the motor
frequency.If there is not enough power, the unit’s SOLAR LED light will blink yellow as shown below.
AC LOAD LED SOLAR LED
The PicoBlender will check its motor connections using built-in open and short circuit protections. If one of the motor leads is not
connected, or if there is a short in the motor connections, the PicoBlender will show a warning message using the indication LEDs.
10
Troubleshooting
To stop the PicoBlender’s operation, the ON/OFF toggle switch on the bottom of the unit should be used. Once in the OFF position, the
PicoBlender will automatically stop the motor’s operation.
The WARNING LED will be solid red if the temperature of the PicoBlender rises above 176°F, at which point the PicoBlender will stop
operating and wait until the temperature drops. This can happen if the unit is exposed to direct sunlight, which should be avoided.
If the PicoBlender gets too hot during normal operation, it will switch to Power Deration mode, limiting the maximum power that is trans-
ferred to the motor load. During that time, the AC LOAD LED will be solid green and the WARNING LED will be solid red. If the unit
cools down to a regular operating temperature, it will automatically continue operation without the thermal deration. If the temperature
of the PicoBlender continues to increase, it will eventually stop operating, at which point the WARNING LED will be solid red.
13 | Page
Shutdown
To stop the PicoBlender’s operation, the ON/OFF toggle switch on the bottom of the unit
should be used. Once in the OFF position, the PicoBlender will automatically stop the motor’s
operation.
The WARNING LED will be solid red if the temperature of the PicoBlender rises above 176°F, at
which point the PicoBlender will stop operating and wait until the temperature drops. This can
happen if the unit is exposed to direct sunlight, which should be avoided.
If the PicoBlender gets too hot during normal operation, it will switch to Power Deration mode,
limiting the maximum power that is transferred to the motor load. During that time, the AC
LOAD LED will be solid green and the WARNING LED will be solid red. If the unit cools down to a
regular operating temperature, it will automatically continue operation without the thermal
deration. If the temperature of the PicoBlender continues to increase, it will eventually stop
operating, at which point the WARNING LED will be solid red.
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